Tony Khan allegedly barred AEW talent from watching WWE’s Royal Rumble

Konnan sheds light on an alleged backstage incident with Khan leading up to WWE’s 2023 Royal Rumble.

When it comes to bizarre news stories, Florida often finds itself at the center of attention. It seems the same is true for a particular wrestling company headquartered there in Jacksonville.

During an episode of Keepin’ It 100, lucha libre icon Konnan shared an inside story regarding All Elite Wrestling and its owner Tony Khan in which Khan allegedly barred his performers from watching the 2023 WWE Royal Rumble.

The retired wrestler turned booker for the Mexican-based organization AAA, recounted a situation in 2022 where he booked Dragon Lee and his brother Dralístico to win the AAA World Tag Team Championship from AEW’s FTR. The following day, Dragon Lee signed with WWE despite interest from AEW in the Mexican sensation. Konnan said his decision to put the titles on Lee and Dralístico came before Lee inked a deal with WWE. Still, it incensed Tony Khan, according to Konnan, and led to a face-to-face conversation between the two.

“He went off,” said Konnan. “He was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, why are you doing this?’ And, ‘I can’t believe you did this, and you stabbed me in the back, and you should have told me before.’”

Konnan clarified Khan’s position, suggesting Khan didn’t want him to work with WWE. Konnan claims that Khan denied the accusation, saying, “No, I didn’t say that. I have two witnesses saying I didn’t say that.” Despite Khan’s objection, Konnan claimed that on that same day, Khan issued direct orders to his company regarding the 2023 WWE Royal Rumble, which starred former AEW star and eventual Rumble winner Cody Rhodes.

“He basically gave an edict,” said Konnan. “‘I better not find anybody watching that show.’”

As his co-host, the Disco Inferno, pushed back, saying he wasn’t aware of this incident, Konnan insisted that he had no reason to lie and encouraged his podcast partner to verify his story with Disco’s connections in AEW.

“People that were in the room knew it, and the wrestlers that were told. Everybody in the dressing room knew it, bro,” said Konnan.

While only Khan and Konnan know the truth, at that year’s Rumble, AEW’s Ricky Starks was caught on camera, as he was there to support Rhodes, his friend and mentor. In recent days, Starks expressed bewilderment over his current position in AEW, stating that he has no idea why the company isn’t utilizing him.

“I really have no clue,” Starks told WhatCulture Wrestling. “It’s just a very interesting time, I feel like. I wish that I was on Dynamite, or I wish I was on Dynasty. I wish I was on these things. But I think at a certain point, just for my own sanity, I can’t go too crazy about it because the proof is in my work and my effort that I’ve constantly given.”